Hogwarts Princess
by sutoribenda
Summary: Nikari Katchra is a rebellious, part vampire attending Hogwarts. Throughout the years she experiences adventure, mystery, romance, and is faced with the hardest decision she has ever had to make.


**A/N: It's finally here! Can you believe it? This is a story about Nikari Katchra. I love her, she's probably my favorite OC and I hope you all love her too. **

**This is about her life at Hogwarts and everything that goes on there. It starts off in her first year and we develop some relationships between characters. I want to mainly focus on her sixth and seventh year at Hogwarts, so I'm going to try and go through the early years quickly. I have at least one more first year chapter planned out and a quick filler chapter for second year. Then I want to have one or two chapters for each of the other years until sixth year when things really get going. ****There's a love triangle coming up in Nikki's life that most of you should be able to spot. **

**If it seems pretty rushed towards the end of this chapter, that's cause it is. I was given a Sunday deadline by my friend. (Yes Angel, I'm talking about you!) I've met the dealine, thank God, but I'm not 100% in love with the result. It works though and this is a lot better than it would have been if I had kept putting it off. So that's for pushing me to publish this. Now I can get going with the rest. I just really hope you all like this. And don't forget to review!**

"Dear Miss Katchra, We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."

Nikari stood in the center of her living room as her mother sat on the couch, smiling broadly. She was reading her letter aloud to her mother for the final time before leaving for school. Trunks and bags were littered across the floor in their small upper flat in London as the two prepared for Nikari to start secondary school. She beamed proudly at herself.

"Oh, I just can't believe it," her mother, Aurora, said happily. "My daughter has gotten into Hogwarts. I was so worried that you wouldn't make it."

"Mom," Nikari groaned, irritated. She rolled her eyes and listened to the rant her mother had been going on with all summer.

"I'm amazed," she said with reverence. She paused and then looked thoughtful. "Considering your parentage, it's surprising that you are even a witch. Thank goodness Dumbledore is headmaster, otherwise no one would have accepted you," Aurora muttered in her scatterbrained way. Her curly brown hair flopped into her bright green eyes. She sighed and flipped the frizzy mess away. Turning back to her daughter, Aurora made to give her a hug.

"Mom, it's okay. Everything will be fine at Hogwarts." Nikki smiled at her mother, trying to look encouraging. "None of that matters. You and dad- ."

She broke off and looked at her feet. Nikari's father had been a touchy subject ever since he left years ago.

Aurora looked at her daughter and smiled sadly. She wished things could be different. "Oh honey," she said, pulling the dark haired girl into her arms for a motherly embrace. "I'm going to miss you so much."

Nikki made a face, but hugged her mother back anyway. "I'm going to miss you too mom," she said. "But don't worry about school. I'll be fine."

Aurora looked into her daughter's eyes and smiled. "Of course you will. You've always had plenty of magic in you, even with me for a mother. It's just being on your own with all those other kids…it worries me."

"Well don't worry," Nikki reasoned, exasperated. "Dumbledore has put in many safe guards for me. And besides," she went on, rolling her eyes. "I can control myself."

"I know honey," Aurora sighed, pulling Nikari in for one last hug. "Do you have your bottle?" she asked then, urgently.

"Mom!" Nikki cried, her eyes flashing and turning away.

"Well do you?" she prodded.

"Yeah, right here," Nikki replied, pulling out a small glass bottle filled with a red liquid. Only Nikari and Aurora knew what it was. "Everything's fine." And she placed the bottle back into her bag.

Suddenly, the clock on the wall began to chime and signified that it was ten o'clock. Aurora furrowed her brow and looked worried, then turned over to the television set. A news anchor confirmed that it was September first.

"I guess you'd better go," said Aurora, shuffling for Nikki to hurry and go get her bags. "I'll Floo you over to the Longbottoms'."

"Ugh," Nikki sighed, heaving her luggage over to the fire.

She had never liked the Longbottoms much. An elderly woman was the head of their family. She was firm and had a very stern glare. And her grandson, Neville, was a plump and forgetful boy that Nikari had known all her life. They were the same age and had grown up together, but were never very close.

"Now Nikki," Aurora said, putting her hands on her hips and looking stern. "You know that we are both practically a part of that family. Ever since your father left- ."

"Yes!" Nikki shouted angrily, turning away. "I know. Dad left and your best friends' mother looked after us." She paused and crossed her arms tightly against her chest and sat on the couch. "But we didn't need it."

"Nikki," Aurora began. Her face had softened and she looked almost sad now.

"Well we didn't," she argued, giving her mother a pleading look. "Just because you can't do magic- ."

At this, Aurora had stormed over to Nikari and pulled her off the couch before she could even finish. "That is enough, young lady. The Longbottoms are very kind to us, despite everything. You need to show Neville and his grandmother some appreciation."

Then her mother paused and smiled slightly. "He's very fond of you, Neville. I think he even fancies you."

Nikki shrugged away from her mother and made a face. "Mom, ew! That's gross."

Aurora laughed sweetly and hugged her daughter one last time. "Just be nice." She ruffled Nikari's hair slightly and smiled once more. "And please don't talk to the other kids about Neville's parents."

Nikki gave her mother a questioning look, and Aurora went on without needing to be asked. "If and when he wants to tell other kids about what happened to Alice and Frank, he will. But I don't want you going around telling everyone. How would you like it if he told all of them about me?"

"You know Neville would never do that," Nikki said quietly, looking at her shoes. "And I wouldn't do that to him either."

"Well good," she said, moving a stray piece of hair away from Nikki's face. "Now get going."

Aurora held out the glass jar from on top of the mantel filled with green soot. Nikki took a small handful and stepped in front of the fireplace. Before getting in, she paused and turned back to her mother.

"Mom," she asked, her face almost guilty. "Do you miss Alice?"

Aurora, who usually looked frazzled and worried, now had a soft and calm expression on her aging face. "Yes, honey. I miss Alice very much. Every day, in fact."

Her eyes were wet now and Nikki noticed her blinking back the tears. "I'm sorry mom," she said quietly, her eyes trailing to the floor, trying to take back what she had said. Nikki always felt horrible about any hurt she caused her mother.

"No, Nikki, it's not your fault," Aurora said sternly. "You had nothing to do with it. Now hurry along." She carried on brusquely, shooing her daughter back into the fireplace. "Augusta will be expecting you."

"Okay mom," said Nikki softly. She ducked into the fireplace and sighed. "The Longbottoms'," she said, loudly and clearly, before dropping the green soot onto the floor beneath her. As Nikki whooshed away, she saw her mother's smiling face as she waved goodbye.

Then suddenly, with a thump, she tumbled onto the floor in a heap with her school truck closely following. "Ouch," she moaned. Nikki rubbed her now sore elbow and looked around. Directly in front of her stood an old witch wearing some very odd clothes and a disapproving sneer.

"You're late Nikari," she said briskly, picking up Nikki's trunk and pulling it along behind her and out the door.

"My name's Nikki," she huffed under her breath. Then she angrily flipped her curly hair out of her eyes only to see a bright smile in front of her. A plump boy holding a toad was standing where Augusta had just left.

"Hello Nikki," said Neville happily. "How was your summer?"

"Hi Neville," Nikki replied politely. She smiled at him in spite of herself and went on. "It was fine thanks. How about yours?"

"Summer was great," he said, still smiling at her brightly. "I still can't believe we're finally going to Hogwarts. Isn't it amazing? In fact, Great Uncle Algie was so excited that he bought me this toad." Then Neville proudly held out the toad he had been holding.

"That's nice," Nikki nodded. Personally, she wouldn't be boasting about receiving a toad as a present, but she could understand why Neville was so happy about it. Like him, she knew how it felt to think you weren't going to Hogwarts. She felt her small smile beginning to grow more genuine at the thought of school. Starting there was going to be something amazing, all right.

Mrs. Longbottom had walked back in just then and called for the two children to follow her outside. "Come along Nikari," she had said in her barking voice.

"Nikki," she groaned again, quietly.

Neville smiled at her and then pulled Nikki along by her hand. "Come on, let's hurry. The sooner we get to King's Cross Station, the sooner we get to Hogwarts."

He began to walk out the door, but Nikki held onto his arm and stopped him. Pulling Neville in, Nikki got a hold of his shoulder and inhaled deeply. She smirked. "Still as A positive as ever, I see," she said.

Neville smiled nervously in response and walked out the door without her. He always hated it when she would smell his blood. Most people did, it made them uncomfortable, but Nikki always loved messing with him and her other friends. Outside, she filed into an old station wagon that Augusta would be driving them to King's Cross in. The seats were lumpy and it smelled old and musty inside, but she could care less. Nikari Katchra was going to Hogwarts.

At platform nine and three-quarters, she managed to find the huge scarlet steam engine waiting for her and the other young wizards and witches. Neville stood beside her, sheepishly telling Mrs. Longbottom that he had already lost his new toad, Trevor.

"Oh Neville," she sighed. "You'd lose your head if it weren't screwed on properly."

Neville looked slightly downcast at this, and Augusta went on. "Try not to get into any trouble. Do your best in class and listen to your teachers." She then turned to Nikki and said sternly, "You too, Nikari."

"Nikki," she muttered, her eyebrows narrowing menacingly. "Why don't you ever call me Nikki?"

Augusta's expression went soft then as she looked down at both Nikki and Neville. "Make your parents proud, all right?" Both of the children made slightly unhappy faces at this, but nodded. When Neville had finally sorted his entire luggage onto the train, he had trotted off to find him and Nikki seats.

Before she could follow him, however, Nikki was pulled aside by Mrs. Longbottom. "Help him this year, Nikari," she said, and for the first time, Nikki didn't get mad about the use of her name. Something about the expression on Augusta's face kept her from saying anything smart. "He needs you."

Nikki then nodded, and, not knowing what to say, hurriedly got onto the train to search for where Neville had just disappeared to.

"Neville?" she called. Nikki was weaving in and out of students of all ages, cramming into the narrow hallway up and down the train. She got elbowed in the ribs a few times and even pushed into the wall accidentally. And one much older boy wearing a green and silver tie rammed into her so hard that she almost fell to the ground. "Neville, where are you?" she shouted, beginning to shove some of the older students back.

"Nikki?" a small and familiar voice called. A bewildered Neville stood in the doorway to a near empty compartment. Without bothering to explain, or say anything at all for that matter, Nikki wove between the students and managed to practically fall into the compartment, dragging Neville into the seat next to her by the arm. Breathing heavily, she quickly shut the door the moment she could and locked it tightly.

Neville gave her an odd look. "Where were you?" he asked. "I thought you had been following me, and then you just disappeared."

Between her heavy intakes of breath, Nikki was able to speak out. "Yeah, well, your grandmother wanted to talk to me first."

At this, Neville looked utterly terrified. "What did she want?" he squeaked in a rush.

Nikki looked into his worried eyes and sighed. She didn't want him to know that his grandmother wanted her to look out for him. Neville was always trying to be brave and live up to his parents, so why make him feel weak, he didn't need to know that he was getting protection from a girl. "Nothing. It was nothing Neville," she answered finally.

A sigh escaped his lips and his shoulders immediately relaxed. "Good."

A small cough led both of their attentions to another person in the compartment. A young girl with frizzy brown hair sat in the corner by the window. She was already wearing her Hogwarts robes and had her wand in her hand.

"Oh, hello," said Nikki, almost embarrassed. "I didn't realize anyone else was in here."

"Clearly," said the girl in a huffy tone.

Hoping not to get on the girl's bad side, Nikki introduced herself. "I'm Nikki Katchra and this is Neville."

The girl brightened very slightly and held out her hand to shake. "I'm Hermione Granger."

"It's good to meet you," Nikki smiled.

Just as Hermione held out her hand to shake Neville's, he shrieked and jumped backward. Hermione instantly looked offended.

"Well, you didn't have to shake my hand if you didn't want to," she said sulkily.

"No, it's not that," said Neville, now getting on all fours and looking under his seat. "I've lost Trevor again."

"Excuse me?" she gasped, drawing back her hand.

"Trevor is his toad. Neville keeps losing him," Nikki explained. Then she turned to Neville who was frantically searching in the compartment's corners for his missing toad. "We should go around and look for him. You know, ask if anyone's seen him. Trevor is only a toad after all, he can't have gotten far."

Hermione also stepped forward, looking determined. "I'll help you. We can search together."

"All right," said Neville uncertainly. "But I have to find him. Gran will be so angry if I've really lost him."

"It's going to be okay," Nikki reasoned. "But let's hurry."

The three of them rushed into the now deserted hallway to search for Trevor. Nikki, Neville, and Hermione had soon begun to knock on compartment doors and ask the students if they had seen him. Finally, they got to a relatively empty room near the back of the train. A young dark-haired boy opened the door to let them in.

Before Nikki could even open her mouth to say hello to the boys, Hermione took charge. "Have either of you seen a toad? Neville lost one."

"No, we haven't," said the boy who had opened the door.

"Oh well," Hermione shrugged, though Neville looked miserable.

"Are you two first years?" Nikki asked them.

"Yeah," replied a red headed boy. "I'm Ron Weasley."

The other one smiled and introduced himself as well. "I'm Harry Potter."

All three of them immediately gasped. Nikki sat down and inched closer to him. "Are you really?"

"Yeah," he shrugged sheepishly.

Neville looked at him with reverence. "No kidding."

"Oh I know you," piped up Hermione. "I've read about you. You're in just about every book on modern acclaimed wizards of the day."

Harry looked unsure on how to respond, Ron on the other hand just seemed annoyed. "Wow, I didn't know."

Seeing that he was uncomfortable, Nikki hurriedly tried to change the subject. "Um, Neville, Hermione, why don't you keep looking for Trevor. He obviously isn't in here."

Hermione instantly looked huffy, but Neville's face was understanding. He nodded and took Hermione back into the hall by the arm. Before Nikki could shut the door though, she burst back in and looked at Ron. "You've got dirt on your nose, did you know? Just there." She pointed at his face and then left, looking smug.

"I'm sorry we couldn't help with Trevor," Harry said sincerely.

Ron was busy wiping at his nose. "I'm just glad she's gone. Little pain in the neck, she is."

"Hermione?" Nikki asked him. "I don't know. She seems nice."

"Hey," Ron said, interrupting Nikki to look more closely at her. "What's up with your eyes?"

Nikki looked puzzled for a moment until Harry also questioned her. "Yeah," Harry remarked, now staring at Nikki as well. "Why are they purple?"

"Oh, that," she said quietly. "Well, I'm half vampire, you see. Their eyes change based on how hungry they are. But since humans are so connected with their emotions and my mother's a human, my eyes change based on my mood instead."

"What does purple mean?" asked Ron curiously.

"Purple means I'm happy," Nikki stated simply. "Blue is calm, yellow is scared, red is angry. It's when they're green that you really have to watch out."

"What does it mean when they're green?" asked Harry, worry written all over his face.

Nikki leaned in towards them for a playfully dramatic effect. "It means I'm hungry."

Both boys jumped backward and Nikki laughed high and piercing. The noise sounded almost like bells. "You shouldn't be worried. I'm only half vampire, so I don't eat humans. But I do need this." She reached into her bag and pulled out the glass bottled filled to the brim with red liquid.

"What is that?" asked Ron, wrinkling his nose with a look of disgust on his face.

"Guess," she smirked.

But before either one of the boys could answer, the door to their compartment swung open. Three boys stood in the threshold. The two on the ends were both dark haired and curly with menacing looks on their large faces. The one in the middle was slight and shorter than the other two and he had blond hair. In fact, Nikki fancied him to be quiet cute.

The pale boy surveyed their compartment with a contemptuous look, but his eyes stopped once they trailed to Nikki. She heaved a sigh and tightly crossed her arms over her chest. It was the curse of having a vampire for a father. Vampiras, by nature, were seductresses. And though Nikari didn't mind the attention, having boys gape whenever she walked by could get annoying.

The boy quickly recovered, however, and instead turned back to Harry. "So it's true then, what they've been saying on the train? You're Harry Potter."

Harry grimaced slightly because of the assessment, but nodded anyway. "Yeah. Why?"

The boys ignored him and rounded on Ron. "And you're a Weasley," the blond one went on in a nasally sort of drawling voice. "My father's told me about you. He says your family all have red hair and more children than you can afford."

Ron's ears went scarlet and he lunged towards the boys, but Nikki quickly jumped in the way to hold him back. The shortest of the three boys smirked then and turned to her.

"I don't think I know you," he remarked slyly. Big, stupid grins appeared on the faces of his cronies. "I'm Malfoy. Draco Malfoy. And you are?"

Before Nikki could answer, she was interrupted by a snort coming from Ron's general direction. Malfoy immediately rounded on him.

"You think my name's funny, Weasel?" he asked menacingly. His grey eyes narrowed and his white blond eyebrows lowered as well.

Ron shrugged and seemed to pretending to have gone deaf. Before anything else could happen, Nikki stepped into things. "I'm Nikki Katchra," she said, approaching Malfoy and his bodyguards. She smiled and her eyes steadily turned to a florescent shade of green.

Walking closer to Malfoy, she began to lean in towards him. Everyone was looking at her strangely and no one seemed quite sure of what was happening. With a smirk on her lips, Nikki took either side of Malfoy's pale face and brought it in closer. She moved forward as if she were going to kiss him, and at the last second, moved her own face to his neck.

Inhaling deeply, she caught the scent of his blood and smiled. "O negative," she murmured to his throat. "My favorite."

He backed away, seeming slightly alarmed, but Nikki only smiled. Behind her, Harry and Ron were trying and failing to cover up their snickers.

Malfoy grimaced and turned back to Harry. "You're hanging around with the wrong people Potter," he said, his eyes darting to Ron. "You too," he added, inclining his head to Nikki. "I can help you both." And he held out his hand for Harry to shake.

Harry stared at him for a moment, and Nikki almost thought that he was about to accept, but he just shook his head and back away. "I think I can tell my real friends for myself thanks," he said. Malfoy looked livid, but Harry had made the right choice.

"Well what about you?" he quickly asked Nikki. Malfoy looked at her desperately, hoping to redeem himself after Harry's refusal. She just smiled and shook her head.

"I was told not to play with my food," she said suspiciously. The three boys raised their eyebrows in confusion, but Ron and Harry almost fell over in laughter behind her.

Malfoy's face went pink. "Come on Crabbe, Goyle. Let's go find better people to talk to." He turned on his heel and his black school robes billowed behind him. Though Nikki was glad to see him go, his movement reminded her of something.

"Oh no," she said. She frantically turned around and grabbed her bag from the compartment seat. Both Harry and Ron gave her quizzical looks, but she waved these off with a shrug. "We should get changed. The train will be at Hogwarts any minute." Her eyes had gone a bright orange as she bolted out of the door.

"I'll see you there, okay?" she called back to the boys right before leaving. But sooner than either one of them could answer, she was back at her own compartment with an already dressed Neville and Hermione. As she hurried to get dressed as well, the train stopped in Hogsmeade.

"We're here!" Neville shouted enthusiastically. Hermione smiled weakly at them, but got up and followed the two off the train nonetheless.

Outside, students were everywhere. They pushed and shoved through to get to the carriages on the little path in Hogsmeade. A particularly nasty looking girl shoved Nikki to the side as she walked by. "Oops, sorry" she said, though she didn't seem sorry at all. Nikki was about to give the kid a piece of her mind when a booming voice made her stop.

"First years!" called a giant man who was waving to all the young and frightened looking children. "First years over here!"

"Hagrid!" Harry approached the large man and smiled back.

"You know him?" Nikki asked. Hermione, Neville, and Ron had all gathered around to listen to Harry.

"That's Hagrid," Harry explained. "He's the gamekeeper here."

"Come on now," Hagrid said, beckoning for the students to follow him. "We'll be going up in the boats."

Harry was confused by this. "The boats?" he asked.

Hermione was quick to answer. "First years always ride up to the castle in rowboats pulled by magic. It's tradition. I read about it in _Hogwarts, a History_." Ron groaned and rolled his eyes at this, but Nikki elbowed him.

"Be nice to her," she whispered sharply.

"Fine," he answered, rubbing his arm where she hit him. "But that hurt."

Now it was Nikki's turn to roll her eyes. "Get used to it Ron. Now come on, let's hurry." The five children made their way quickly over to the boats and piled in. Nikki sat with Neville and Hermione while Harry and Ron got in a boat with a sandy haired boy.

"You kids are gonna love this," said Hagrid to them as the boats got in motion. "You'll be seeing the castle for the first time soon."

He was right. In just moments, all of Hogwarts was visible to them. Everyone gasped and Nikki could hardly breathe. She'd never seen anything so colossal and stunning in her entire life. The Hogwarts castle stood out in the light of the full moon and every one of its gigantic glass windows was glowing from the inside. But as excited as she was, this was when her nerves were starting to kick in.

"Wow," Hermione whispered in awe. Her face was as white as a sheet. Instead of being a calm, collected know it all, she was being reduced to a pile of nerves as well. Nikki instantly grabbed her shaking hand and squeezed.

"This is so exciting," she said to the girl, hoping to cheer her up. Hermione just nodded without looking over. Nikki tried again. "Exciting, but scary."

"I know," Hermione replied.

Before they knew it, the boats had docked on a little shore and everyone was climbing out. Suddenly, Hagrid chuckled and bent over to pick something up. "Is this anyone's toad?" he asked, holding up a familiar look amphibian.

"Trevor!" Neville shouted in delight, running over to take him.

Hagrid led them up to the front doors and everyone immediately rushed in for the sorting. Professor McGonagall informed them all about the houses, sorting, and some rules while they were at Hogwarts. Then she left them to wait in suspense.

Neville looked over at Nikki and smiled. She noticed that he was holding tightly onto Trevor. "Where do you think you'll be sorted?" Neville asked her suddenly.

The question took her by surprise. Nikari hadn't given that much thought at all, to be honest. Her father and never been to Hogwarts and her mother was in Gryffindor when she went to school so many years ago. But a lot had changed.

"I don't know," she said truthfully. "What about you?"

Neville instantly looked saddened by her question. "I don't know either," he answered miserably. "Hufflepuff probably, if they'll even take me."

Nikki knew then that this was the time to act like a friend like she had promised. She put a comforting hand on his shoulder and gave her companion a reassuring smile. "You'll be perfect where ever they put you."

"You think?" asked Neville hopefully, his face brightening at her words.

"I know," said Nikki confidently.

A loud noise made both of them whip their head around to the oak doors leading to the Great Hall. They had begun to open and the hundreds of eyes sitting at long tables all trailed back to them. Nikki gulped and began to walk forward with the other first years.

An old hat sat on a three legged stool in front of them and began to sing about the founders. After the Sorting Hat finished its song, the real test began. Student after student was called up to be sorted. The first ones that Nikki recognized were the two large boys from the train who both got sorted into Slytherin. After them was Hermione.

Nikki quickly grabbed onto her arm and said good luck before a very terrified looking Hermione got over to the stool. McGonagall placed the hat on top of her head and waited.

"GRYFFINDOR!" the hat shouted after a nerve wracking moment of silence. Hermione let out a sigh of relief and scurried over to the Gryffindor table. They all cheered and applauded her except for Ron, who was standing behind Nikki. He let out a groan of disappointment before Nikki could turn around and glare at him.

But before Nikki knew it, her name was called. "Katchra, Nikari," read Professor McGonagall. Nikki froze. Her eyes must have instantly turned bright yellow. Fear was suddenly settling in and she felt as though she couldn't move. She might as well have stood there rooted to the spot for days if Harry and Neville hadn't pushed her forward.

She took very small steps on her way to the front of the first years. As the Sorting Hat was lowered onto her head, she even closed her eyes and winced a little.

"Ah, part vampire I see," said a voice in her ear. At first Nikki was startled, but then she realized that the hat must be talking to her. "And a hunger for blood and power too. Slytherin would be quite fitting for you," the hat murmured.

Nikki thought of Slytherin and all the horrible witches and wizards to come from that house. You-Know-Who himself had been one. Her mind flashed to her mother, who fought against You-Know-Who many years ago, and of how disappointed she would be to hear what had become of her daughter. Nikki had come to this school wanting to be different and not a stereotypical "vampire" by any means. In fact, she had hardly any connection with her father and his vampire roots. She really just wanted to be like her mother.

The hat talked on. "But you've got a good heart too. There's drive and compassion, a good combination. You're a different sort of girl, Nikari. There will be many surprises in store for you here at Hogwarts."

"What?" Nikki asked. What was the hat talking about? What sort of things would be happening to her? But before she got any answer, the hat shouted out. "GRYFFINDOR!"

Everyone at the table cheered for her like they had for Hermione. Nikki gladly went to sit with her new friend and was pleasantly surprised when Neville joined them just moments later.

"Congratulations," she said to him, still clapping. "And you didn't think anyone would want you."

Neville smiled sheepishly and they both turned their attention back to the sorting. Next up was the blond boy that they had met on the train. Draco Malfoy strutted up to the stool and sat down. Professor McGonagall had hardly touched the hat to his head when it shouted "SLYTHERIN!"

"Of course," Nikki muttered, rolling her eyes. "Why aren't I amazed." But Malfoy surprisingly caught her eye and grinned as he went to sit down with the other new Slytherins. Unsurprisingly, the mean girl who had shoved into Nikki earlier was sorted into Slytherin too. And based on what Professor McGonagall had said, her name was Pansy Parkinson.

Pansy also caught Nikki's eye as she made her way to her seat. Unlike Malfoy, however, Pansy gave her a death glare that was filled with hatred. Nikki snorted and ignored her. After all, what had she done to make this girl hate her so much?

After a few more people were sorted, Hermione, Nikki, and Neville were joined at the Gryffindor table with both Ron and Harry. They all heartily ate the feast before them and cleared their plates completely. And after Dumbledore's parting words to them all, the Gryffindor first years were off to bed.

Upstairs in the Gryffindor tower, Nikki shared a room with Hermione and two other girls named Parvati Patil and Lavender Brown. And though Nikki would have normally stayed up well into the night, the long and eventful day had worn her out so much that she simply went to bed.

"Well, goodnight all," she said, climbing up onto the mattress and trying to get atop the roof of her four poster.

"What are you doing?" Lavender asked her.

Nikki hooked her legs onto the top of the bed as best she could and flipped over. Suspended upside-down with only her knees to hold her, she smiled at them. "Part vampire, remember?"

Both Parvati and Lavender looked disturbed by the girl's unusual sleeping habits, but Hermione smiled at her. "Do you always sleep like this?" she asked, sounding genuinely curious.

"Yep," Nikki nodded. "But I'm usually awake at night and asleep during the day. This is considered weird for me."

Hermione laughed. "I find it strange that anything would be weird to you Nikki."

"Why is that?" she asked.

"You're upside-down."

"Oh," replied Nikki, feeling a bit stupid. "I suppose." This is what Nikari had truly been worried about. Some people just couldn't accept a half-breed vampire girl trying to learn magic with the normal children.

I've read a bit about vampires," Hermione said to her. "But there isn't much information. Most people are far too scared to go near one."

Nikki laughed. "My mother obviously wasn't one of them," she said sarcastically.

Hermione grinned nervously at that and continued. "I'd just love to learn some more things. That is, if you wouldn't mind telling me."

"More things?" Nikki asked, very confused now. "You mean, you don't think I'm strange?"

Hermione shook her head. "No, I think it's fascinating."

"Huh," said Nikki, smiling now. "I'll tell you anything you want to know."

"Wonderful," said Hermione, getting into her own bed with a smile on her face as well.

Nikki shut her eyes and began to go to sleep, but not before thinking about what a wonderful year it was going to be.

**I know I always say this, but please review. It only takes about a minute of your time, but it gives me a whole day full of happiness. I'd never hold a story or a chapter because of lack of reviews, but I really would be encouraged to write more and update quicker, as well as take the time to make this perfect for you guys. So if you love this story, take a few seconds and tell me! :) Thanks so much for reading. ~Tori**


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